CIHM 
Microfiche 


(l\/lonographs) 


ICMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


I    1    Coloured  covers  / 


n 
n 


Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restauree  et/ou  pellicul^e 

Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material  / 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 


□   Only  edition  available  / 
Seule  edition  disponible 


D 


D 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire qui  sont  peut-§tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  m6tho- 
de  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 

D 


Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  uamaged  /  Pages  endommag§es 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pellicul6es 


0  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed  / 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachet6es  ou  piqu6es 

I      I   Pages  detached  /  Pages  d6tach6es 

I  ^1   Showthrough  /  Transparence 

I      I   Quality  of  print  varies  / 


D 
D 


n 


Q 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion  along 
interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de 
I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
interieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajoutees  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  lorsque  cela  etait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  ete  filmees. 

Additional  comments  /         Pagination  is  as  follows:   p.   335-345, 

Commentaires  supplementaires: 


Quality  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  -material  / 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppl6mentaire 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips, 
tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  totalement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une 
pelure,  etc.,  ont  6t6  filmees  a  nouveau  de  fa^on  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 

Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  decolorations  sont 
filmees  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilleure  image 
possible. 


This  item  Is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below  / 

Ce  document  est  filme  au  taux  de  reduction  indique  ci-dessous. 


10x 

14x 

18x 

22x 

26x 

30x 

/ 

12x 

16x 

20x 

24x 

28x 

.•??y 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Engineering  Sciences  Library, 
Queen's  University 


L'exemplaire  filmA  fut  reproduit  grace  i  la 
g^n^rosit^  de 

Engineering  Sciences  Library, 
Queen's  University 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ♦•  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whic.  ever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Las  images  suivantes  ont  Hi  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nenet*  de  I'exempiaire  film*,  et  en 
conformit*  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commencant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
origiriaux  sont  film*s  en  commenqant  par  la 
premiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — •■  signifie  "A  SUIVRE '.  le 
symbole  V  signifie   "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  etre 
filmis  ^  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  etre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich*,  il  est  film6  i  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaira.  Les  diagrammas  suivants 
iilustrant  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1  2  3 

4  5  6 


MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST    CHART 

ANSI  ond  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2 


1.0 


I.I 


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1 1^ 


11.25   iu 


IIM 

2.2 
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I  1.8 

1.6 


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^r.  'f'-"    Eos'    M=,.    '!,„, 

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^S  ("f)  288  -  5989  -  fo. 


c'c^u-  y^'^ 


X()Ti:s  ox  Till-:  i-i.A<  I  K  .\ii.\i:s  oi-  c  vkibuo 

MRITI-  LL'MBIA 


J   B.  TvRitfxj.. 


EcnnoMir  GinLot-t  fuiLnaiNG  Crvi-AiiT 


TH4^aT3H 


Ctbrar^ 

KINOSTON.   ONTARIO 


I 


(Kfpntiled  froo-  Econhmic  Geouioy,  Vol.  XIV.,  No   4,  Jun«,  1919  ] 


NOTES  ON  TIIK  I'LACER  MINKS  OF  CARIBOO. 
liRITISH  COLUMBIA. 

J.    U.   TVKKI.U.. 

In  a  brief  trip  made  to  tlie  placer  mines  of  the  Cariboo  district. 
British  Columbia,  in  the  summer  of  1918,  .M,me  data  were  gath- 
ered pertaining  to  the  distribution  and  geolojjical  features  of  the 
auriferous  gravels,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  existence  of  ex- 
tensive beds  of  pre-glacial  gravcLs  below  Cilacial  deposits,  and  the 
greater  influence  of  stream  piracy  over  glaciation  in  changing 
the  courses  of  streams.  They  are  here  presented  in  the  form  of 
brief  notes. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  describe  the  configuration  of  the  coun- 
try, the  details  of  its  geolog\-,  or  the  extent  to  which  it  is  being 
mined.  The  Geological  Survey  of  Canada  began  a  survey  of 
the  area  last  summer,  and  intends  to  continue  it  until  it  is  able  to 
publish  a  complete  report  with  detailed  maps  of  the  geolog)'  and 
structure  of  the  country,  not  only  of  the  older  rocks  which  under- 
lie it,  but  also  of  the  later  formations  and  of  the  influences  to 
which  it  hns  been  subjected  to  form  its  mountains  and  valleys, 
and  to  deposit  the  gold  in  the  bottoms  of  these  valleys. 

Mr.  Bowman,  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada,  made  an 
examination  of  the  countrj-  some  years  ago  and  published  a  num- 
ber of  gO(xi  maps  of  the  whole  district,  and  of  several  of  the 
gold-bearing  creeks.  With  these  he  published  a  report  on  the 
older  rocks  underlying  the  country.  Possibly  the  material  per- 
taining to  the  gravels  collected  by  Mr.  Bowman  may  he  incor- 
porated in  the  report  which  is  now  to  be  published  by  the  Geo- 
logical Survey. 

HISTORIC.\L   DEVELOPMEXT. 

For  many  years  the  country  was  surrounded  with  a  halo  of 
glory  and  mystery.  Discovered  in  the  winter  of  1860-61  by 
prospectors  travelling  overland  through  the  rugged  mountains  to 


\  2AHr>i) 


.rv> 


}.  U.  IVKHIU.L. 


ilu-  -until.  ..^^.r  nl,:.l,  u  ua^  .ilni.-.t  inii.,sMl,le  to  tran>|..>rt  Mip- 
|'!ii>.  .-111,1  .  It  uliicl,  ihe  lianly  tr  iiticTMiien  were  .,Wij,a.,l  t  ,  .U- 

'"■'"'  ''•"■  ' '  ""  ''"■•  '•.->r!l..'M  that  fanifd  ilir..ii^'Ii  the  f..rc-i>. 

it  ua,  hi.lce.l  a  .liffinilt  c..nn'ry  !■•  read.,  hut  alter  it  was  readied 
the  leuanN  f.  ilie  iM..,urr,  uta-  ;;rcat.  Writin-;  in  the  autiniin 
Mt  i.Vf.i  (.Mvcrnor  |;n„.ln,  -ay,  tliai  he  ha,l  met  a  lar-c  niitiiher 
■'t  men  wh..  ha.l  reinriie.I  frMin  the  new  -.M  camp,  .-md  withmit 
eNceptt.n  tliey  lia.l  all  I.t-ni  Miae-stul.  a  statement  whidi  cannot 
he  made  lor  m.-iny  camp*. 

Alter  j;nl,l  h;id  heen  ,lisc.,\  ere.l  at  the  Canon  on  Williams 
J  reck  hy  Wdh.nu  Hict.  ,  Dutd,  Ihlh  word  was  quicklv  pas-ed 
hack  to  the  prospector,  >cattered  alonj;  the  I-raser  River  and 
iliey  >onn  ma.le  llieir  way  to  the  new  I'.ldora.Io.  I„  ,x,,..  and 
i-^'-.?  many  parties  came  in  fr..m  the  s,.nth  and  also  across  the 
plains  and  m-.,m,ain,  fr..,,  the  east  until  a  few  years  later  Kar- 
kervdle.  the  center  of  the  new  district,  was  second  unlv  to  \ic- 
t'Tia  in  i...p„lation  i„  ^-liat  is  now  the  I'r  nince  of  Itr'itish  Co- 
liimhi;i. 

Since  i8.:,S  up  to  the  end  .,f   n,,;  the  Government  Rep,rts 
sh.ny  that  Hritish  Colu,nh,a  produced  alxnit  $7S.fJOo.ooo  wurth 
ot  placer  -old.    ( )t  this  amount  the  Carilx..,  coinitry.  net  includ- 
ing the  Qtiesnd  district,  pro.juced  s'W  to  the  value  of  $41- 
=  <xj.O(xi.     I  have  not  at  hand  the  <letails  of  the  various  creeks 
Inir    prohal.ly   of    this    total.    Williams    Creek    mav   have   pro- 
di.ce.l  ahout  S_-3.ooo.cx5o  and  I.ifjhtninR  Creek  $;.ooo.ooo.     Mr 
Muller  intorme.i  me  that  Williams  Creek  above 'the  Ca.-.nn  pro- 
<iuced  about  St. 000  to  the  running  foot  and  below  the  Canon   for 
a  couple  ot  mde^.  abom  s^-,00  to  the  rnnnin-  foot.     .Most  of  this 
was  pr,,duced  from  shallow  ground,  where  the  whole  material 
trom  the  surtace  downwards  to  the  bottom  of  the  paystreak  was 
shovelled  into  sluice  boxes,  in  which  the  lighter  sand  and  travel 
were  carried  away  by  the  water,  while  the  heavier  gold  was  left 
i-^  the  rittles. 

In  the  bottoms  of  some  parts  of  ,he  valleys  the  alluvial  de- 
posits were  too  deep  •„  l,e  handled  in  this  way,  and  there  =hafts 
were  sunk  to  l,ed  r.  ck.  and  drifts  were  run  on  or  in  bedrock 


/■L.tiLk  MIM-.S  Of  CIKIIWO.  UhlllMI  CUIAMULI.        y^j 

tlin-iif;!!  winch  tlie  rali  gukl  kariiiK  layers  was  extracted  and 
wa^lieil  in  sluice  Ijoxes. 

Unlike  the  coii,liti..nN  in  the  mines  of  the  Kl.nidikc  the  gravels 
here  were  not  iK-rennially  frozen,  and  con>ei|iiciitIy  w.,ter  wa> 
usually  present  in  great  nuantity.  ihe  unwaleruig  of  the  deei)er 
mine>  was  therefore  a  serious  and  exijcnsive  pn.ljleMi  and  with 
greater  increase  in  the  dei.th  of  the  ovcrhurden,  water  tinally 
rendered  the  deep  ground  unworkable.  1  could  not  learn  of  any 
individual  instance  where  miners  were  actually  driven  out  of  rich 
pay  gravel  which  they  were  mining,  hy  water,  hut  exploration 
and  development  of  deep  ground  have  undoubtedly  Ix-en  stopjK-d 
by  water,  even  where  rich  prosiiects  were  obtaineti.  The  ques- 
ti..n  therefore  at  once  arises,  how  nnich  valuable  gold-bearmg 
ground  is  there  still  in  the  <listrict  awaiting  cheaiK-r  transporta- 
tion, an(l  larger  and  more  energetic  mining  method,. 

TOPOGR.XPHY. 

On  the  east  is  a  high  rugged  range  of  mountains  rising  in 
jag-cd  peaks  to  heights  of  about  7.000  feet.  This  range  limits 
the  known  gold-bearing  area  in  that  directi.m.  West  of  it  are 
more  detached  moimtain  masses,  rising  in  s.-me  jx-aks  like  Mount 
Agnes  or  Bald  .^rounta;n.  to  heights  of  6.-00  feet,  while  farther 
west  the  country  declines  in  a  series  of  high  transverse  ridges 
seiKirated  by  deep  valleys  towards  the  main  \aliev  of  the  I'raser 
River.  The  tops  of  the  higher  mountains  above  the  elevation  of 
about  5.000  feet  are  open  mo.^rlan.l  on  which  the  snow  lies  imtil 
well  on  in  the  summer,  l)iit  below  this  level  the  slopes  are  thickly 
wooderl  with  fine  forests  of  spruce  and  balsam,  many  of  the 
trees  in  which,  in  the  vicinity  of  Stanley,  would  average  18  to 
20  inches  in  diameter,  while  some  are  as  nuich  as  31  inches.  For- 
tunately forest  f^res  do  not  appear  to  have  swept  over  the^e 
mountain  sides  to  the  same  extent  as  they  have  swept  over  many 
of  the  forested  areas  in  eastern  Canada. 

coNmrioNs  .and  development  of  dr.mx.xc.e. 
The  underlying  rocks  are  mostly  schists  and  slates  which  have 
been  called  by  Bowman  the  Carilx^o  Schists,  and  the  prospectors 


,v^« 


J   It.  TYHKELl.. 


from  OntnriM  \v..nl,|  1„.  .truck  with  the  resemblance  of  the^^e 
M-hiMs  tu  the  Keewatiii  Schists  of  the  northern  portion  of  their 
own  I'rovincc,  or  niinerN  from  the  Klondike  mipht  consider 
them  the  Klonchke  Schists  whidi  Mr.  McConnell  has  so  well  de- 
scrilH-d  in  "The  Klondike  r„,ld  lidds."  Many  quartz  veins 
have  heen  found  rnnninf,'  throtinh  these  schists  holding  gold  in 
appreciable  quantities,  Init  as  yet  none  have  appeared  to  deserve 
serious  development  under  the  difficult  conditions  of  transporta- 
tion still  prevailing  in  that  country.  These  schists  are  doubtless 
of  I 're-Cambrian  or  early  i'alcozoic  age.  and  the  mountains  of 


FlC.  22. 


which  they  are  composed  may  have  been  formed  during  several 
succeeding  periods  of  uplift  and  disturbance,  the  last  of  which 
may  possibly  have  occurred  since  Oligocene  times.  In  this  case 
an  additional  point  of  touch  with  the  mountains  of  the  Klondike 
would  ht  indicated,  as  these  latter  include  in  their  folds  beds  of 
Miocene  or  Oligocene  age. 

Subsequent  to  the  final  period  of  mountain  building  a  long 
epoch  of  erosion  set  in.  duiing  which  valleys  were  developed 


fI..ICLH  MIMiS  or  C.lklBOO.  UHITIMi  i  Ol.l  Mlil.l.       XV) 

radiating;  from  the  iin|).iriaiu  iiioiiniam  tna-isc-  in  all  direclioii*. 
Of  these  iiiDuntams,  Mnum  Aj^iies  or  Hald  Moninaiii.  is  tlic  in-.-t 
conspicuous.  I-rf)in  it  Little  Swift  River  iLvv-.  (..  tiic  smuh, 
Grouse  and  Antler  frcek-i  V)  the  east.  Williams  and  Jack-of- 
Clubs  Creeks  to  the  iiMrth,  and  I.ijjIitninK  Creek  to  the  west.  It 
is  impossible  not  to  recognize  the  marked  resemblance  of  this 
central  point  to  the  Dome  at  the  iicad  of  Bonanza  Creek  in  the 
Klondike.  It  is  true  that  Mount  A^ncs  is  j.ckkj  feet  hi>,'her 
above  the  sea  than  the  Dome,  but  the  Ixttoms  of  the  .surroundmg 
valleys  are  also  ahnil  2,0(X}  feet  higher  than  the  valleys  that 
radiate  from  the  Dome  and  as  hnh  sets  of  valleys  are  of  alMiut 
the  same  deiuh.  with  shijiing  wooded  sides,  the  general  sim- 
ilarity of  the  natural  features  of  the  two  districts  is  (juite  striking. 

Williams  (.V.cA-.— While  the  valleys  were  k-ing  formed  the 
streams  did  not  always  follmv  their  present  water  c^tur-es.  l-"or 
instance,  the  valley  of  Conchlir  Gulch  which  comes  fnun  the 
southeast,  crosses  Williams  Creek,  and  is  c<intinued  as  Stout 
Gulch  and  Lowhee  Creek  until  it  oiK-ns  into  Slough  Creek  as  a 
hanging  valley.  Iktween  what  is  now  Conchlin  Gulcl  and  Stout 
Gulch  the  present  drainage  is  cros-ed  and  intersected  by  Williams 
Creek,  the  lower  fwrtion  of  which  is  therefore  of  later  age. 
though  the  upjwr  ix)rtion  was  probably  originally  a  tributary  of 
Conchlin  Creek.  Cons«iuently  the  old  wash  of  this  old  Conch- 
lin-Stout-Lowhee  Gulch  is  of  a  greater  age  than  the  gravel  in 
the  bottom  of  the  lower  part  of  Williams  Creek,  and  the  stream 
which  once  tlowed  in  it  was  older  than  the  latter  creek.  The 
drainage  down  Conchlin-Stout-Lowhee  Creek  must  have  \kt- 
sisted  for  a  coiuparatively  long  time,  as  the  old  valley  is  wide 
and  mature,  though  the  present  creeks  have  cut  narrow  gorges 
in  the  bottom  of  its  floor. 

The  main  valley  of  Williams  Creek  at  that  time  e.Ktended  up 
\'alley  Creek,  and  down  Willow  River.  Then  one  of  its  tribu- 
taries from  the  south,  which  extended  up  pa.«t  the  present  site  of 
Barkerville.  cut  into  the  side  of  Conchlin-Stout-Lowhee  Creek, 
and  robbed  it  of  its  water,  drawing  the  gold-l:)earing  gravel  with 
it  down  into  that  portion  of  Williatns  Creek  below  the  Canon. 


I 


34' > 


].  K.  TYKkELI.. 


IVniii  tliat  lime  ..nunrds  0>ncliliii  Creek  discharged  into  this 
newer  i.nrt  of  \\illianis  Creek,  and  Stoin  Creek  developed  a 
-nri,re  (  I'late  X.,  o)  in  tiie  upper  part  of  the  ahamlnned  Stuut- 
l.-uliee  \alley  in  wliich  it  tluucd  eastward  into  \\illiam<  Creek. 
instead  <<\  nMrihwe-tward  ;i,  liefMre. 

Hut  stream  piracy  did  n.)t  end  in  the  rohbinj^  of  the  water  of 
G,nchlin-Si..m-I.ouIiee  Creek  by  Williams  Creek.  Slough 
(.reek  I  .r  >..nie  reason  (leei)ened  its  cliannel  and  fMrmed  a  gre'rit 
ui.le  valley  (  Plate  X..  b  !.  the  ll.Mjr  of  which  was  about  a  third  of 
a  mile  acmx.  It  must  have  cut  back  and  robbed  the  water  from 
the  \\illiain<-\\illuw  river,  f-r  Jack-nf-Clul)s  lake,  which  lies  in 
its  valley,  is  reported  to  be  J(X)  feet  deep,  and  the  bedrock  in  its 
valley  a  little  farther  we>t  was  found  by  drilling  to  be  -'S-  feet 
below  the  surface,  while  the  louest  part  of  the  bedrock  in  tlie 
^alley  of  WUInw  Kiver  wa<  only  102  feet  below  the  surface. 
which  was  probably  a  little  higher  than  the  surface  at  the  drill 
iK.Ie  near  .^longh  Creek.  Thus  the  original  be.lr.,ck  bott..m  of  the 
valley  of  Slough  Creek  is  nearly  joo  feet  deeper  than  that  of 
Uillow  River,  anrl  cnnH-.|uently  it  undoubtedly  robbed  the  water 
from  the  latter  stream. 

In  excavating  its  great  valley  the  old  Slough  Creek,  which 
had  donl>tless  become  a  large  and  important  river  through  the 
adilition  f.f  Williams  Creek,  and  probably  also  of  \'alley  and 
Downie-l'ass  Creeks,  cut  away  the  lower  portion  of  the  almost 
abandoned  valley  of  Lowhee  Creek,  and  of  the  wide  valley  of 
Jack-of-Clubs  Creek,  reducing  them  to  hanging  valleys  on  the 
side  of  the  master  valley.  The  original  courses  of  the  lower 
parts  of  the  streams  that  occupied  these  two  old  hanging  valleys 
was  not  apparent,  but  it  is  possible  that  they  turned  westward 
and  then  somhwestward  in  what  is  now  the  valley  of  Chisholm 
Creek,  and  thus  flowed  into  Lightning  Creek,  for  the  upper  por- 
tion of  Chisholm  Creek  valley  was  also  cut  away  by  Slough 
Creek. 

Luihtning  C/rr/.'.— Lightning  Creek  valley  is  narrow  and 
\  -shaped  as  far  down  as  Stanley,  the  narrow  channel  in  its  rock 
door  being  often  not  more  than  20  or  30  feet  in  width.    At  Stan- 


Plate   X, 


Economic  Geologv.     Vol.  X(V. 


i 


./.  M..ii!li  ,,f  St.iif-  (.iiVli  irMMi  \\illi.,in  (  mk  ~h,.«iim  miliim,  ir,,m 
livdraiilu-  ..mrali..ti-  ii;  tiii'  I.Ti  i;r.  iiiii.l.  aii.l  ^.Ty.  in  ihv  IimiImiti  ,.t  tin-  ..lil 
inanin    \all<>    ir,  tin   li.uk  iiiitir 


/'.      Wi.k-   \^]\^    .,i  <.\..nuh  (  r,  <  k   I..,.kin,i;  n.  .nliu<-M«;;i  d   n,,m   M. .-,,11111,,  (  r. 


J 


llitf  ,,f  li,,;ilcl<T  i.l;i\    ir,,m  l,<.,lr..ck  t,,  Minaic  .iii   St.)ut'~  (■ulili 


I'L.hliK  MIXES  or  CARIBOO.  BRITISH  COUMBI.I.       341 

ley  the  wide  U-shai>e(I  .lley  of  Chishnlni  Creek  joins  it  from 
the  ncrth.  and  thence  downward^  ilie  wh.de  valley  is  wider  than 
l)efnre,  and  maintains  a  L'-shapcd  character.  At  a  place  known 
a-  the  P.eavcr  I'as^  the  main  \alley  s\\  in;,'^  off  to  the  north,  and 
(I'liibtless  the  drainai,'e  ran  fcir  a  Innj;  time  in  that  direction,  but 
the  present  stream  turns  s,  luhwe.-tward  into  a  narrow  S'^rpe  be- 
tween p'cky  walls,  and  continues  in  it  past  \\':nf,'<lani  towards 
its  junction  with  Sv.ift  River  to  f.imi  Ct^tonwood  River.  Close 
to  Heaver  I'a>s  I'eters  Creek  fVnvs  int  >  Li.L;litninf,r  River  from 
the  south,  and  whether  the  narrow  valley  of  Lightning,'  Creek 
below  the  continence  of  these  two  streams  was  once  the  con- 
tinuation of  it^  valley,  or  was  the  valley  of  a  tributary  in  which 
the  drainage  has  been  reversed,  is  uncertain,  though  the  latter 
-upi)osition  is  probably  the  correct  one.  I  was  not  able  to  learn 
the  dei)ih  of  bedrock  bcl'>w  the  >urf:ice  ;it  Heaver  Pas<,  but  it  is 
pnibably  several  hundred  feet,  fur  according  to  information  re- 
ceived froin  Mr.  M.  liaik-y.  the  depth  from  the  surface  to  bed- 
rock alxiut  four  miles  farther  up  Lightning  Creek  is  205  feet, 
and  while  the  grade  of  the  surface  between  tlie  two  places  is 
\ery  light,  tlie  grade  of  the  bedrock  is  probably  much  steeper. 

This  will  indicate  the  conditions  of  drainage,  and  the  char- 
acters of  the  valleys  that  had  been  formed  l)y  it  at  the  end  of  the 
Pliocene  Period,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  in  pre-Glacial  times 
wide  mature  valleys  had  been  ff>rmed,  but  streant  piracy  had 
been  taking  place  and  the  streams  thaf  formed  these  valleys  were 
robbed  by  other  streams  that  flowed  in  deeper  valleys. 

Accnmulation  of  Gold. — During  this  time  gold  was  being  con- 
centrated into  the  bottoms  of  some  of  these  vallevs  in  larger  or 
smaller  quantities,  according  to  the  alnmdance  of  th  supjjly.  the 
excellence  of  the  bedrock  for  forming  riffier.  or  tin.  length  of 
time  through  which  the  concentration  was  operative.  If  similar 
conditions  had  continued  down  to  the  present  there  would  have 
been  several  wide  valley .  in  the  district  with  lieds  of  gravel  cov- 
ering their  bottom  lands,  through  which  paystreaks  would  run. 
Deep  narrow  \'-shai)ed  valleys  and  gidches  would  discharge  into 
them,   sometimes   from  hanging  valleys,   while  in  eml)avments 


342 


J.  II.  TYKHELL. 


alMiif;  tlifir  si(le>  wduld  i)rMl)aI)ly  (.cciir  gravel-covered  erosion 
terraces. 

Tlie  continuity  of  conilitions  of  erosion  was  suddenly  broken 
by  tlie  advent  of  the  Glacial  Period.  There  was  no  general  Cor- 
dillcran  glacier  in  this  district  with  a  motion  southeastward  or 
northwestward  parallel  to  the  trend  of  the  mountains,  but  the 
Country  was  heavily  glaciated  by  local  glaciers  that  flowed  down 
from  the  mountains  into  the  great  valleys.  On  the  side  of  the 
mountain  nTth  of  the  valley  of  Lightning  Creek  near  Stanley, 
and  1,000  feet  above  the  stream,  a  quartz  ledge  was  seen  to  lie 
scored  by  glacial  markings  trending  northwestward  parallel  to 
the  course  of  the  vallev.' 

After  existing  for  a  long  time,  and  in  some  cases  extending 
far  out  over  the  plateau,  even  to  the  banks  of  the  Fraser  River 
itself,  the  local  glaciers  retired  and  disappeared,  leaving  behind 
them  extensive  sheets  and  deposits  of  boulder-clay,  and  large 
moraines :  the  latter  dammed  many  valleys  and  diverted  streams 
into  other  channels,  thus  adding  to  the  intricacies  of  a  drainage 
system  which  was  already  quite  complicated  in  pre-Glacial  tiines. 

Most,  if  not  all  of  the  valleys  had  beds  of  pre-Glacial  gravel 
of  varying  thickness  co\  ering  their  rocky  floors.  As  the  glaciers 
moved  down  the  valleys  they  in  many  cases  rode  over  this  gravel 
and  left  it,  with  its  cargo  of  gold,  comparatively  undisturbed, 
and  at  the  same  time  they  brought  down  a  certain  quantity  of 
material  from  the  hills  on  each  side  and  formed  ground  moraines 
of  hard  massive  impervious  boulder-clay,  which,  on  the  retire- 
ment of  the  glaciers  remained  as  watertight  covers  of  varying 
thicknr-s  over  the  underhing  gravel.  Existing  streams  usually 
flow  on  the  top  of  this  bed  of  boulder-clay.  In  some  narrower 
and  swifter  places  in  the  upper  reaches  of  valleys  they  have 
doubtless  cut  through  it  to  the  underlying  gravel  or  bedrock, 
and  many  of  the  earlier  mining  operations  were  probably  carried 
on  in  places  where  this  had  occurred.  In  these  places  all  the 
gravel  down  to  bedrock,  as  well  as  the  upper  part  of  bedrock 

1  "  Was  tlur->  a  Cordilleran  Glacier  in  P.ritisli  Columbia."  by  J.  B.  Tyrrell, 
Jour,  (if  Cii-o!..  \'ol.  J-.  No.  I.  1019.  pp.  55-60. 


I 


«» 


PLACER  MIXES  or  CARIBOO.  BRITISH  COLUMBIA.       343 

itself,  was  shovelled  into  the  sliiice-lx)xes.  and  washed  to  re- 
cover the  gold. 

In  those  parts  of  the  bottoms  of  valleys  where  boulder-clay 
was  st.ll  lying  undisturbed  on  the  gravel  the  miners  sank  shafts 
through  the  boulder-clay  and  gravels  to  bedrock,  drove  tunnels 
on  or  in  bedrock,  pumped  the  water  from  them  with  Cornish 
pumps,  and  extracted  the  gold-bearing  gravel  from  the  shafts. 
As  the  gravel  was  usually  porous,  the  How  of  water  was  often 
large  and  r'-flficult  to  handle  with  the  pumps.     In  fact,  in  long 
stretches  oi  s.  ,eral  of  the  valleys,  where  the  pre-G'.acial  gravels 
have  been  bu.ied  to  a  great  depth  it  has  been  found  impossible 
to  mme.  or  even  to  explore  them  on  account  of  the  heavy  flow 
and  heavy  pressure  of  water  encountered.     Further  attempts 
will  doubtless  be  made  to  explore  these  deep  gravels,  but  if  such 
enterprises  should  be  undertaken  there  should  be  made  careful 
physiographic  surveys  of  the  district  in  order  to  determine  the 
particular  valleys  or  parts  of  valleys  into  which  most  gold  was 
discharged,  and  the  localities  in  which  it  probably  lodged. 

An  interesting  feature  was  observed  on  some  of  the  gulches 
tributary  to  the  larger  valleys,  as  for  instance  on  those  of  Mos- 
quito and  Last^-hance  Creeks.  Both  these  streams  flow  in  chan- 
nels bounded  by  rock  on  their  western  or  down-stream  sides,  and 
boulder-clay  on  their  eastern  or  upstream  sides.  In  searching 
for  a  paystreak  in  each  case  the  old  miners  found  that  the  pre- 
Glacial  channel  was  buried  beneath  the  boulder-clay  on  the  east- 
ern side  of.  and  at  considerably  lower  level  than,  the  present 
stream  for  the  glaciers,  as  they  descended  the  main  valleys,  had 
filled  the  upper  sides  of  the  gulches  with  boulder-clay,  and  when 
drainage  was  re-established  in  post-Glacial  times,  the  new  chan- 
nels  were  formed  above  and  to  the  west  of  the  old  ones 

At  the  Caiion  on  Williams  Creek,  where  two  narrow  gorges 
have  been  cut  on  opposite  sides  of  a  rocky  knoll,  the  direction  of 
movement  of  the  glacier  would  appear  to  have  been  more  or 
less  transverse  to  the  course  of  the  stream  at  this  point,  and  the 
glacier  completely  filled  and  covered  up  the  eastern  of  the  two 
gorges  with  boulder  clay,  so  that  it  was  not  until  some  little  time 


344 


/.  /(.  TVHkELL. 


afiLT  niiniii},^  was  be^iin  on  tlie  ircck  tliat  tliis  ^'Tge  \\a>  f.iunJ 
and  iiiRii\L'rc(l. 

The  valley*  so  far  referred  to  lia\e  had  beds  of  pre-Glacial 
gravel  remaining  in  them,  Init  two  valleys,  or  ]><)s>il)ly  parts  of 
one  valley,  which  came  under  my  notice,  namely,  Stout-Lowhee 
and  Chisliolm  Creek  valleys,  were  different  from  the  rest  in  this 
particular,  for  either  mo>t  of  ihe  gravels  which  had  originally 
covered  their  lloors  had  been  remo\ed  Ijefore  the  advent  of  the 
glacier,  or  possibly  the  glacier  it>ell  may  have  displaced  what  re- 
mained of  the  gravel,  and  may  have  kneaded  it  up  with  material 
brought  from  elsewhere  to  form  the  Iwulder-clay  which  is  now 
either  resting  directly  on  Ijedrock,  or  is  separated  from  it  by  a 
thin  layer  of  poorly  aborted  material  (  IM.ite  X.,  o  This  ab- 
sence of  gravel  beiueen  the  lx)ul(ler  clay  and  the  underlying  rock 
is  well  shown  in  a  1  mg  luiiiiel  into  the  we-tcrn  siile  tif  the  \ alley 
of  C'hisholm  Creek.  .\lso  the  hydraulic  o[)erations  which  were 
being  carried  on  in  -Stout  Gulch  at  the  titne  of  my  visit  exposed 
an  excclleiu  sectii'U  of  boulder  clay,  which  seeme<l  to  be  fairly 
homogeneou>  from  top  to  bottom.  Some  of  it  was  slightly  aurif- 
erous. On  A'osquito  (iulch,  where  hxdraulic  operations  were 
also  being  conducted,  and  where  boulder-clay  along  with  botli 
overl\ing  and  underlying  gravel  was  being  broken  down  ami 
washed  through  sluice  ixixes,  some  of  it  was  decidedly  auriferous. 

In  addition  to  forming  a  blanket  over  the  earlier  gold-bearing 
gravels  the  boulder-clay  would  a[)jiear  to  have  l)een  deix)sited  in 
some  places  of  sufficient  thickness  to  divert  streams  into  new 
channels,  as  for  instance  at  Beaver  Pass  House,  Lightning  Creek 
has  l>een  diverted  to  a  narrow  western  froin  a  »»'ide  northern 
channel,  probably  on  account  of  the  deposition  of  a  thick  l)ed  of 
boulder-clay  in  the  latter. 

In  addition  lo  the  deposition  of  a  Ijed  of  boulder-clay  over 
most  of  the  surface  of  the  lower  land  the  glacier  formed  terminal 
moraines  across  the  b(.  toms  of  the  valleys.  One  of  the  most 
conspicuous  of  these  is  in  Slough  Creek  valley,  and  extends  from 
the  west  end  of  Jack-of-Clubs  lake  for  several  miles  westward  to 
a  point  some  little  distance  Ijehnv  the  mouth  of  Devils'  Creek. 


J 


I'L.ICER  MIXES  or  C.IKIBOO.  IIRITISH  COLUMBIA.       345 

This  niuntine  blocks  the  drainage  of  tlie  valley,  ami  forces  the 
water  issuiiifj  from  Jack-of-Chihs  lake  to  How  down  the  valley 
of  Willow  River. 

Another  hilly  and  sti>iiy  moraine  lies  in  the  b-Jttom  of  the 
valley  of  Lightning  Creek  between  the  mouths  of  Chishohn  and 
Davis  Creeks,  but  it  had  no  intluence  on  the  general  drainage 
except  temporarily  to  dam  back  the  water  into  a  small  lake. 

Altogether  the  diversion  of  drainage  from  one  valley  to  an- 
other would  seem  to  have  been  affected  much  more  by  stream 
piracy  in  pre-Glacial  times  than  by  moraines  or  other  dams  in 
Glacial  or  post-Glacial  times. 


